BABY ITS COLD OUTSIDE AND I’VE GOT THE CHRISTMAS BLUES
Welcome to a special new re-release of Holly Cole’s much loved 2001 Christmas recording ““Baby Its Cold Outside”. We determined to add songs from the Holly Cole Trio’s first ever recording from 1989, a recording never released on Vinyl and never before released outside of Canada. Three songs from that recording, the EP, titled Christmas Blues, have been added to the new international Vinyl release and the full 4 songs from the EP have been added to the new CD release. All the songs from both the LP and CD has been re-mastered and the new Vinyl LP is pressed on 180 gram Vinyl. The sound and audio quality from both the LP and the CD is exquisite and both releases have new photo’s and images from the original time periods. The new release has been re-named “Baby Its Cold Outside and I’ve Got the Christmas Blues”.
The material on the new release ranges from the very intimate and serious playing of a piano / vocal trio that had honed their skills playing live together whilst creating a rabid live audience in the Queen West “alternative music” scene of Toronto in the late 80’s / early 90’s to the excitement of a large jazz orchestra, arranged and conducted by pianist Aaron Davis. The material is strong. Few vocalists would attempt to cover the Vince Guaraldi classic "Christmastime is Here," but Cole's version honors the original by not being too showy or Broadway-ish and while many singers might try and bring pop songs into jazzy arrangements, few manage to nail it as well as Cole has done over her career and particularly with her intimately impassioned cover from the original “Christmas Blues” EP of Chrissie Hynde’s “Two Thousand Miles”.
The addition of the intimate Trio tracks from the Christmas Blues EP makes for a very appealing and unique Holiday release. They juxtapose beautifully with the likes of the orchestral versions of “Santa Baby”, "'Zat You Santa Claus" , Wildwood Carol” and "Christmas Is”, all giving Cole plenty of opportunity to show off her range, vocally and emotionally and the musicians, especially David Piltch on Bass and Aaron Davis on piano, their significant abilities and playing prowess. Cole playfully scats her way through "Sleigh Ride" (accompanied solely by bassist David Piltch), gets low and sultry for "What About Me," and gives soft, delicate performances on songs like "I'll Be Home for Christmas". While researching the original masters we found a previously un-released fun version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” which has been added for the first time as a Bonus track to both the Vinyl and CD.
We hope you enjoy!
Cole and band have created a unique release of holiday standards, especially with "The Christmas Song," and with the Barenaked Ladies' Ed Robertson making a cameo as vocalist on the title track. The sound ranges from the intimate candlelight of piano trio accompaniment, to the blazing fire of a large jazz orchestra.